Atlanta hosts fired after mocking ALS-sufferer Steve Gleason

When he sat down Monday night and listened to the full broadcast of the Atlanta sports radio hosts mocking ALS-sufferer Steve Gleason, the head of O.J. Brigance’s foundation was left nearly in tears.

“I just couldn’t believe it,’’ Steve Peregoy, the recently-named executive director of the Baltimore-based ALS advocacy foundation Brigance’s Brigade, said Tuesday. “I’ve gotten so close to it, by working with O.J. and so many other people with ALS. That (radio skit), to me, was just beyond—I’m having a difficult time coming up with the words. ‘Insensitivity’ doesn’t even come close to describing it.’’

O.J. Brigance played seven seasons in the NFL and was diagnosed with ALS in 2007. The 43-year-old works in player development for the Baltimore Ravens. (AP Photo)

Like Gleason, the 43-year-old Brigance contracted ALS after his playing career, while he was the Baltimore Ravens’ director of player development. He remains with the team in that capacity, and has served as a constant presence and inspiration to the team as it climbed toward last year’s Super Bowl win. Besides educating the public about the disease, the foundation also raises badly-needed funds for research and for the medical expenses of patients all over the country.

Gleason has praised Brigance often as he’s brought attention to his fight against ALS. The two met during February’s Super Bowl festivities in New Orleans, where Gleason formerly played, and Brigance called Gleason his “brother-in arms.”

“If there’s one silver lining,’’ said Peregoy, a Baltimore-area native and veteran of numerous non-profit agencies who became head of the foundation in May, “it’s that their ignorance actually led to something positive about knowledge of ALS. Maybe 100,000 more people have more of an understanding than they had yesterday, even if it was done in such a negative way.’’

Peregoy said he was encouraged by the public reaction to the stunt, and by the station quickly reprimanding, suspending and then firing the hosts. From reading various online comment sections, he said, “Ninety-nine percent of them knew how terrible it was.’’ As for the rest who spoke out in favor of the hosts, “I chalk it up more as, you’re going to have people who think anything is OK, whether it’s at the expense of others or not.’’

More important, he said, “it made me want to do my job that much better and make people understand what ALS is, and what it really does.’’

Peregoy did not know whether Brigance or his wife Chanda, who runs the foundation with her husband, had heard about the radio routine. He did forward Gleason’s SI.com column from Monday to Brigance, he said; in it, Gleason described how much he had been able to accomplish despite his incurable disease, including writing the piece with “eye-tracking” technology.

“Steve has been so generous in reminding everyone that O.J. has been his mentor,’’ Peregoy said.